Accessories being the lifeblood of the photography business, not to mention essential tools for photographers themselves, UK distributor Intro2020 offers a many and varied selection – covering 26 brands and product lines in all. Here’s part 2 of our round up of their new products for summer 2015…

Peak District Through The Lens by James Grant is a comprehensive photography guidebook that provides information on where and how to take the most beautiful photos in the national park. Due for release on 15th July, the book is designed to aid readers in everything from teaching photography to revealing some locations they you may not realise exist. Photographic walks will also be included, to allow readers to make full days out with the camera. The recommended price of the book is £23.95.

Photography Blog was recently invited to view a comprehensive new line-up of photo products hitting the UK market from all over the world – courtesy of UK distributor Intro2020, which currently looks after 26 different brands and product lines.

X-Rite have announced June’s winners of the global social competition 'Capture the Colour,' and also unveiled July’s theme colour. The winners are Carlos Robles, Tomasz Dzubia, Inga Linder-Kopiecka, Jarosław Godowski and Vito Netti. The theme colour for July is Pantone 14-0848 Mimosa. Best illustrated by the abundant flowers of the Mimosa tree and the sparkle of the brilliantly hued cocktail, Mimosa is a versatile shade that coordinates with any other colour and "translates to both fashion and interiors," the company remarks. Entrants can submit their photographs via X-Rite’s Facebook Competition page.

The Society of International Nature and Wildlife Photographers have announced the winners of Discovering Wildlife Photography Competition. Marc Mol from Laufen, Switzerland was chosen as the winner from over 325 images entered in to the competition. Marc tells us ''What a nice and welcome surprise! A herd of elephants cast incredible shadows across the dry Luangwa River floodplain as they journey to the refreshing waters of this dwindling river. The looming shadows of the herd led by the matriarch are clearer than the animals themselves, who seamlessly blend in the textured patterns of the sand below them. Captured from a microlight at early light over the Luangwa River floodplain in Zambia's South Luangwa National park." Marc used a Nikon D3S camera and an AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR II lens to capture the winning shot. The runners up are Mario Gustavo Fiorucci and Karin Horstman.

The Wandle Valley Forum (WVF), Wandle Valley Regional Park Trust (WVRPT) and Living Wandle Landscape Partnership (LWLP) are launching a photographic competition to capture all aspects of the Wandle Valley. There are four categories to enter, each representing a key aspect of the valley’s rich diversity: Natural Wandle, Urban Wandle, Wandle Folk and Working Wandle. The competition is open to amateur photographers of any age, living or working in the in the boroughs of Wandsworth, Sutton, Merton and Croydon. The closing date for entries is midnight on 16 October 2015. The winning images will be used on the new WVRP website and in its digital archive; the overall winner will be used on the website home page.

Shortlisted entries to the Hasselblad Masters 2016 competition are now awaiting votes from the Hasselblad Public Jury. The public vote provides photographers worldwide with the opportunity to influence the result of the competition, with the Public Jury carrying one vote on the main Masters Jury panel. Members of the public are invited to help select a winner from each of the ten categories. The Public Jury vote works by using a rating system that allows you to award 1, 2 or 3 stars to an image in each category. The images with the most stars in each category at the end of the voting period will then gain the public vote as part of the main Masters Jury panel. It is not possible to vote more than once on an image, and once the 6 allotted stars are used up, that image category is considered closed and you can move on to the next category. It is not mandatory to vote in all 10 categories. The voting period ends on 30 September 2015.

Nikon UK today launched a new promotion offering UK and Republic of Ireland residents a free battery grip with purchases of selected Nikon digital SLR cameras. Those purchasing a Nikon D7200 are able to claim a free MB-D15 (pictured), whilst customers considering the Nikon D610 are entitled to a free MB-D14 battery grip. The promotion runs to 2nd September.

Barber Shop is a brand new collection of Italian leather bags and accessories for photographers, which includes 5 bags, 1 hand- and 1 wrist-strap, a single and a double bridle and two different sizes of leather organisers. Every single piece is handcrafted in Bassano del Grappa (Vicenza) by skilled artisans. As the company points out, "every detail of Barber Shop products is designed and tailored to fit the needs of photographers, without giving up style, elegance and the uniqueness of a hand-crafted product." The bags and accessories are now available on the new Barber Shop website.

MindShift Gear have launched a new line of dual-purpose photography backpacks. The First Light series addresses the most pressing needs of outdoor photographers who travel and trek, especially those who carry their 200mm to 600mm “Big Glass” lenses. These high-capacity backpacks come in three sizes and feature contoured, adjustable torso harnesses with 11 adjustment points for extreme comfort whether running through an airport or traversing a mountain. Designed to comply with airline carry-on size requirements, First Light backpacks are built with ballistic nylon bottoms for durability, and room for a laptop. The FirstLight 20L is available for $229.99, the FirstLight 30L for $279.99, and the FirstLight 40L for $329.99.

George Eastman House's Technology Collection has been recognised as an Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for its historic significance as the world's leading collection of photographic and cinematographic technology. The vast collection includes a daguerreotype camera signed by Daguerre, an original 1888 Kodak, Ansel Adams's first cameras, a Technicolor camera that filmed MGM classics, the NASA Lunar Orbiter, the Speed Graphic camera that captured the flag-raising at Iwo Jima, and many other technical marvels. "The collection at George Eastman House promotes the legacy of a great inventor while telling the story of an industry that has brought fun, leisure, and entertainment to many," said Madiha El-Mehelmy Kotb, past president of ASME. "This landmark designation pays tribute to the mechanical engineering ingenuity that has been incorporated in these devices." ASME has designated landmarks, sites, and collections of historic importance to mechanical engineering since 1971 through its History and Heritage Landmarks Programme. Landmark status indicates that the artifact, site, or collection represents a significant step forward in the evolution of mechanical engineering and is the best known example of its kind.

Yuneec International have just launched the Typhoon Q500 4K quadcopter, which offers 4K movie recording and 12-megapixel still image capture. The newest member of the Typhoon family offers up to 25-minutes of flight time while filming with its CGO3 4K camera.  The unit comes ready to fly with a standard ST10+ Personal Ground Station featuring a 5.5-inch touchscreen, while the 3-axis anti-vibration CGO3 gimbal camera comes with a fixed-focus UWA lens and is capable of recording Full HD videos at 120fps for slow-motion playback. Stills can be saved as DNG raw files or JPEGs. The Typhoon Q500 4K system is available for the suggested retail price of $1299.

The AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR is a new full-frame super telephoto lens for Nikon SLRs. With a weight of "merely" 8.3lb / 3810g (vs. the 11.5lb / 5060g of its predecessor), the lens features two fluorite lens elements and four ED elements, as well as an electromagnetic diaphragm, which helps with maintaining consistent exposure during high-speed burst shooting of fast action. The addition of fluorite lens elements to the optical formula helps reduce chromatic aberration, and plays a key role in the overall weight reduction. Additionally, the new design promises "significantly improved" AF tracking performance. The lens features the latest incarnation of Nikon’s Vibration Reduction technology, with automatic tripod detection to counteract vibrations when mounted on a tripod. For pros shooting fast and erratic moving sports or subjects, using the SPORT VR mode will yield a more stable viewfinder image whether handholding the lens. The AF-S NIKKOR 600mm f/4E FL ED VR will be available in mid-July for the SRP $12,299.95 / £9,649.99 / €12,999.00.

The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR is a new super telephoto lens for Nikon SLR cameras with an FX sized sensor. The 'E' designation in the product name denotes an electromagnetic diaphragm which helps maintain consistent exposure during high-speed burst shooting of fast action. The lens weighs in at 6.8lb / 3090g, which may sound heavy - but is actually significantly lighter than the 8.5lb / 3880g of its predecessor. The optical formula of this lens combines two fluorite elements and three Extra Low Dispersion (ED) glass elements to further reduce chromatic aberration while providing superior sharpness and color accuracy. Additionally, the new design is claimed to "significantly improve" AF tracking performance. For enhanced durability, the lens is gasketed against the elements and has a fluorine coating on a front protective meniscus element to make it easier to remove dirt, moisture and smudges. The supplied tripod collar boasts completely new bearings for smoother switching between horizontal and vertical orientation. To make the lens easier to carry, the tripod mount has been repositioned closer to the rear, a change that also enables the included one-piece hood to be easily reversed. The new AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR will be available in mid-July for a suggested retail price of $10,299.95 / £8,149.99 / €10,999.00.

The AF-S DX Nikkor 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR is a stabilised 24-120mm equivalent standard zoom for Nikon cameras with DX sized sensors. The optical formula comprises 17 elements in 13 groups, and features a seven-bladed electro-magnetic diaphragm that creates a nearly circular aperture. The new AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm F/2.8-4E ED VR is the first Nikon DX-format lens to wear the gold “N” emblem to indicate the presence of Nikon’s exclusive Nano Crystal Coat. This advanced optical coating significantly reduces instances of ghosting and flare for the highest quality images, the company says. The front and rear elements also integrate a fluorine coating to make it easier to remove dirt, moisture and smudges from the lens surface. For fast, accurate and quiet AF performance, the 16-80mm also features Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor (SWM) technology. The minimum focus distance lets you get as close as 0.35m. The new Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR will be available in July for a suggested retail price of $1,069.95 / £869.99 / €1179.00. The lens is supplied with a dedicated HB-75 bayonet hood.

SIRUI have announced a new range of adventure-proof tripods and new additions to their existing lines. The Wave & Wilderness series can be used in harsh environments without worrying about the ingress of dust and water. The legs are fitted with a set of special seals which, coupled with the CNC cut, forged aluminium casting that SIRUI is famous for, allow the tripod to be submerged to its shoulders in water. Extra height can be added by attaching the patented central column. The W Series are available at £599.99 (W-1204) and £699.99 (W-2204). Besides the Wave & Wilderness line, SIRUI has enhanced its Travel T0X line with two new models, aimed at those needing a lightweight, compact travel tripod without compromising stability. Weighing in from just 930g, with a maximum working height of 147cm and a closed size of 40cm, these new tripods are supplied with a C-10X ballhead in matching colour with Arca-style QR plate and a slim carrying bag and are priced from £169.99, with the 8-layer carbon version (T-024X) being available from £269.99.

The British Life Photography Awards are open for entries from 1st July to 26th September. This photographic competition is a showcase for contemporary and imaginative images that capture the essence and spirit of British life. With an overall prize fund worth over £10,000 sponsored by Sony; the awards feature ten separate categories including Rural Life, Street Life, Work in the Community, Urban Life, Portraiture, Brits on Holiday, Documentary Series, British Fashion and Popular Culture, British Weather and Young British Life Photographer. The competition is open to both amateurs and professionals. Do note that images that have been entered into a major competition where the results are still pending are not eligible for entry.

EEF, the UK manufacturers’ organisation, and Lombard, the UK’s largest asset finance provider, are asking photographers to submit images that capture the essence of modern British manufacturing. Photographs can portray any stage of manufacturing, from design, process and technology in action through to the finished product, and can cover traditional or high-tech sectors. Companies are being encouraged to open their doors to photographers in their local area to demonstrate what makes manufacturing so great. Winners of the EEF/Lombard Manufacturing Photography Competition will share a prize fund of £5000 worth of photographic equipment from headline sponsor Canon and gain national recognition at a Westminster awards reception in December. The closing date for submissions is 30th September.As always, we recommend that you read the rules before entering your work.

DxO have released DxO OpticsPro 10.4.2, DxO FilmPack v5.1.4, and DxO ViewPoint 2.5.6 for Mac and Windows. These updates add support for the Canon EOS 5DS and 5DS R. Additionally, DxO OpticsPro 10.4.2 also adds 789 new camera/lens combinations to its DxO Optics Modules library, whilst DxO FilmPack 5.1.4 and DxO ViewPoint 2.5.6 gain full compatibility with Adobe Photoshop CC 2015.